Dean's Angel
by YoungWolf21
Summary: Castiel was sent to Earth with a mission, to pull a man by the name of Dean Winchester from the depths of hell it's self. With no idea why they wanted him to do this seemingly impossible task and no idea what made this mortal so special, he blindly followed his orders, bound by obedience and completely unaware of the life changing events that would follow.
Castiel's Heart.

"There's work to be done" was the last thing that Castiel remembered hearing before finding himself in a new vessel.

"Where am I?" He wondered briefly, looking around the house.

Finding a mirror he looked his new vessel up and down, tall, wide shoulders, dark hair and blue eyes.

"Not bad" he thought with a smirk as he flexed his stiff fingers.

"What is my mission here?" He asked the empty room.

That was years ago now but he could still remember it as if it was just a few hours before.

That was the day he would meet the Winchesters, the men that would change his life in so manys he never thought possible.

He knew nothing about the man he was to pull from perdition, he was told he was a very special mortal and that the fate world was balanced on his shoulders. This mortal that had sold his soul for the sake of his baby brother, given his life and was thrown into the flames as a new toy for the devil himself to play with. The man that the world depended on, even though they didn't know it.

At first all he saw was a broken man, a damaged soul filled with anger and the pain of a thousand deaths which he kept skillfully hidden behind a mask of sarcasm and alcohol.

Dean Winchester was a brute of a man with a foul mouth and a dirty mind, his hands and conscious soaked in the blood of everything that ever died at his hand. Innocents and demons alike.

"Are you sure this is the right man?" Castiel asked this question so many times, he couldn't understand what made this broken mortal so important, why he was asked to watch over him and the kin he fought so hard to protect even if that meant endangering himself.

There was something about his baby brother that rubbed him the wrong way in the beginning as well, a darkness he couldn't put his finger on that gnawed at him in the night like a coyote on a freshly killed carcass.

Sam was a tall, thin boy filled with an unnamable darkness, he was a good shot and very intelligent from what he could tell but Castiel still couldn't understand the loyalty Dean had for him, the affection that lead him to do stupid, reckless things just to keep him safe and this frustrated him to no end.

Every Time Cas asked Dean about this he would get the same response.

"He's my brother Cas" is all Dean would say, as if that was some very significant thing.

This response also frustrated Cas, he had brothers too but if one his brothers acted the way this child did he would be punished, not protected at the cost of the lives of others.

"Why are mortals so stupid?" he would often mutter after these conversations.

It wasn't until an incident involving a coven of witches, a small town and a seal on the verge of being broken that Castiel finally saw what made this man so important, the part of him that would eventually save the world.

Uriel wanted to destroy that town on a molecular level to stop the coven from breaking the seal but Dean wouldn't allow him to do it. This man with the broken soul took on the responsibility of saving an entire town, of taking down a powerful coven and later the demon they would summon simply because he couldn't stand the thought of more innocent blood being spilled.

Sam helped with this of course but Castiel couldn't help but think that his involvement only made things harder on Dean, he worried so much about the safety of his brother. If it came down to it he would gladly sacrifice his own life if it meant his brother would get to live, this was proven by the time he spent in hell to bring his brother back from the grave.

Castiel was fascinated by their relationship, he couldn't really understand it at the time but as time went on it would all begin to make sense to him.

As the months went by Castiel found himself more and more concerned for the safety and sanity of his ward. He would watch him toss and turn in his sleep, mumbling incoherently his eyes squeezed tightly shut and looking as though he was in a lot of pain even if he wasn't injured.

There was something about his pained expressions that called out to Cas, drawing him closer to him and after a while he would have given anything to take away whatever was causing them. Many nights he would sit on the edge of Dean's bed and stroke his hair or back when he started to mumble, this seemed to calm him while he slept, once he even whispered his name in the night.

Dean had no idea Cas did those things though, he was afraid to tell him in case it angered him or he told him leave. The very idea of not being welcome near him made his immortal heart sink in his chest in an uncomfortable way that he didn't understand.

It wasn't until Alastair attacked him, until that brief moment when he truly thought he was going to lose Dean forever that he finally realized why Dean was so willing to die for Sam. In that moment he threw himself between them, suddenly willing to do anything to save him, to save his Dean because even though it took the thought of his death to realize it, he loved him.

In the end it was Sam and the darkness that flourished within him that saved both their lives, he was grateful for it but also disturbed that young Sam was willing to go as far as drinking demons blood to gain the power he seemed to believe he needed to hunt.

That was the first time he really saw exactly how deeply Dean cared for his brother, even though he was doing something incredibly stupid and dangerous, he wasn't angry with him. He was furious with himself for not seeing what Sammy was doing and deeply worried that he might not be able to save him this time, to bring back the boy he had spent his entire life protecting.

Castiel would have given anything at that moment to be able to cure Sam, to take away the pain he saw in Dean's eyes every time Sam would scream. Dean was suffering because his reckless, stupid little brother decided to drink demons blood to strengthen a psychic gift he shouldn't have had in the first place.

Cas was there when Dean thought he was alone and finally let out all the emotions he kept so carefully bottled around everyone else, watching as his whole body shook with sobs he thought no one would hear, no one would see. That was the first time he held him, he couldn't stand to watch this man, this beautifully broken man be alone for a second longer and he sat down beside him and without a word, wrapped his arms around him and held him as tightly as he could, feeling his own body shake right along side Deans. It took him a moment to realize Dean wasn't the only one sobbing at that point.

"Cas..Cas I'm sorry..I shouldn't be" he sniffled and tried desperately to stop the tears.

"I'm here..I'm here for you always..It's okay" Cas croaked back, his already deep voice raw with emotion.

"I'm here" he repeated this over and over again that night, each time wishing he could hold Dean tighter as he wept unstoppable tears after being strong for far too long.

They spent that night sitting in the Impala trying to pull themselves back together, trying to stop the tears to no avail as the stars began to fade and the sun peaked above the horizon. Dean eventually cried himself out, falling asleep in Castiel's arms his head resting gently against his chest, Cas just kept holding him, wanting so desperately to keep him safe, to take away all the pain and the worry that he carried around with him everyday.

"H-hey" Dean muttered, still half asleep as he shifted.

"Morning" Cas replied softly, gauging Dean's reaction to their position.

"I..I don't know what to say" Dean whispered, a blush creeping across his cheeks.

"Then don't say anything" Cas whispered back and before he could stop himself, planted a quick, soft kiss upon his lips.

"Sorry" Cas muttered quickly, shocked by his own reckless actions.

"Don't be..please" He replied softly, reaching up and ever so gently dragging his fingertips along the stubble on his cheeks.

"I don't understand" Cas mumbled, completely confused by everything at that moment.

"Just.. Please don't be sorry Castiel" Dean pleads shifting so he's looking straight into his eyes.

"Last night.. What was that? What is this?" Castiel's words came out in a rush, tumbling over themselves as he tried to wrap his mind around the situation.

"I needed you last night..and there you were" Dean's voice dropped back down to a whisper.

"Of course I was here..I'm always here for you" Cas replied, stunned by the surprise in Dean's voice.

"Thank you, I mean that Cas" He said, his dark green eyes filled with appreciation and affection.

That was the night that Castiel realized he was would do anything Dean asked him to, that no matter what happened over the years he would never be able to leave him. That was night Castiel, an angel of the Lord fell in love.

Years have passed since that night, the world nearly came to an end thanks to the apocalypse but once again the Winchester boys came to the rescue and set everything right.

The gates of hell where closed for good, the demons banished back to the flames they call home.

The Angels fought amongst themselves for a long time, the civil war of Heaven they called it and a lot of lives were lost but in the end they settled down and brought order back to Heaven.

The mortals of earth still have no idea how close they came to losing it all, if it hadn't been for a beautifully broken man and his damaged baby brother the Devil would have destroyed it all.

It's been months since the last demon was destroyed, for the first time in over a milena the world is at peace.

"It's finally peaceful" Sam smirked, happy for the first time in years.

"Yeah it is Sammy" Dean nodded but his voice is filled with pain.

"What's wrong?" Sam asked, a frown crawling across his lips.

"Nothing Sammy, I'm going to go have a drink" he replied gruffly before sliding off the hood of the Impala and stomping off towards the bar.

"I'll go talk to him" Castiel growled reassuringly after appearing from thin air.

Sam just nodded and started back towards the hotel room for some much needed sleep as Cas disappeared around the corner, following Dean.

Castiel found Dean a moment later, sitting on a bar stool, downing shots of whiskey at the counter.

"What's wrong Dean? I thought you of all people would be thrilled right now" Castiel asked, filled with concern.

"Thrilled? Yeah I guess I should be" He growled back before throwing down another shot.

"Tell me what's bothering you" Castiel insisted, taking away the fresh shot of whiskey the bartendender just poured.

"What's wrong? You're only here because the Angels wanted me safe for some reason" He snapped.

"And now that the world is safe..You'll leave!" He growled, slamming the glass down on the counter.

"Leave? Why would I leave? Do you really think so little of me Dean?" Cas gasped, hurt by his words as well as his attitude.

"Why would you stay? I'm _mortal"_ He snarled the word like it was a great insult of some kind.

"I've been with you for over a decade Dean, what makes you think I would just up and leave?" Castiel snapped back, anger bubbling inside him.

"Because.. I'm going to get old, I'm going to die and one of these day's you won't be able to bring me back!" He shrieked, his voice completely raw with emotion.

Castiel hadn't thought much about that little wrinkle truth be told but even old and wrinkled he would still love him, that much he was sure of.

"I don't care if you're as wrinkled as that leather jacket you love so much! I'm not leaving!" Cas yelled, unable to control the volume of his voice.

"Castiel you have to! I can't.. I won't let you watch me waste away" He cried, his eyes brimming with tears and filled with pain.

"You had to know you would grow old one day, how could ever think I would leave because of that?" Cas whispered softly, confused and hurt.

"I..I thought I would have been dead long ago" He replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I..I would have never allowed that happen.. Not as long as I can heal you Dean" Cas blinked, stunned by what he was hearing and unable to stop the tears.

"That's just it Cas! You can't heal age! You won't always be able to save me.. I can't let you go through that" He cried, tears overflowing from his softened eyes and rolling down his cheeks.

"Please Cas, just get out while you still can.. I can't.. I don't want you here!" Dean screamed, his voice stern but etched with the tears still sliding down his face.

Castiel was stunned, beyond stunned that those four little words could possibly hurt so much. It felt as though his entire world had just shattered around him and there was no way to possibly ever put it back together again.

Sliding off the barstool he drifted through the bar in a numb haze and wandered out towards an open field across the highway.

Nothing made sense to him anymore, Dean didn't want him. How could he possibly put himself back together after that? for the last fifteen years that man has been his whole life, how could he do that him?

Night fell around him as the highway slipped away with every step he took, eventually his legs simply couldn't hold him up any longer and he fell to his knees, tears pouring endlessly down his face.

"I can't live without him.. being immortal means nothing to me without him in my life" Castiel cried out into the still night air.

A moment later it hit him, immortality meant nothing to him!

Like a sudden flash of lightning he knew what he needed to do to win Dean back.

Dropping the trench coat around his knees and pulling his shirt over his head he did the only thing he could; he grasped one of his pitch black wings and ripped it from his back with a scream, the pain was excruciating but it was still nothing compared to the thought of living without Dean.

It was harder the second time, his vessel was weakening but he didn't care, he needed to finish what he started if he was going to prove his love to Dean.

The blood flowed like an unstoppable force down his back, but he didn't care because he knew he'd done the right thing, the only thing that might convince Dean that he was never going to leave him.

One step at a time he made his way back through the field and towards the familiar figure laying on the hood the Impala his wings and immortality left behind.

"Dean" He croaked as he got closer.

"Cas? is that.. is that blood?" Dean gasped and slid off the hood to run to him.

"Cas! what happened?" He cried pulling him in close and seeing how profusely he was bleeding.

"It's.. It's gone" He whispered, suddenly tired.

"What's gone? Oh god please hold on Cas" Dean sniffled trying to stop the bleeding.

"My wings.. immortality.. I'm human" He grinned.

"What do you mean you're human? What have you done!" He screamed, his eyes wild with concern.

"We..We can grow old together now" Castiel smiled warmly, reaching up a blood soaked hand and stroking his cheek.

"SAM!" He screamed towards the open hotel door.

"Dean? What's wrong?" He called back before coming out to find him.

"Help me! We need to get him to the hospital!" He cried, unable to stop the tears now.

"What happened to him?" Sam asked, helping Dean load him into the back seat of the Impala.

"He..He ripped off his wings..for me" He sobbed.

"Why.. Why would he do that?" Sam asked shocked, taking the keys from his brother and speeding towards the hospital.

"I.. I told him I didn't want him to see me get old.. and he decided he wanted to grow old with me" Dean breathed, almost laughing at the absurdity of it all.

Sam nodded then, understanding what happened completely and determined to get the now fallen angel to the hospital. He needed him to live, Dean needed him to live.

They rushed him into emergency and made up a story about finding him like that down the alley near the hotel and begged them to save him.

It took many hours, a handful of blood transfusions and several skin grafts but they managed to stop the blood, to patch up his shredded back and save his life.

"W..Where am I?" Cas grumbled, groggy from the medication.

"You're in the hospital Cas, that's where humans end up after pulling incredibly stupid stunts" Dean growled but it was clear he was just worried about him.

"I'm sorry" Cas sighed, wondering if Dean hated him now.

"Why are you sorry? you did an incredibly stupid thing..you almost died.. but you did it for me" Dean replied, his voice soft and warm.

"You're not angry? You don't hate me?" Cas cried with relief.

"I could never hate you.. Cas I love you.. every reckless, stupid inch of you" He grinned warmly, kissing his forehead.

"I'm happy to see you two have kissed and made up" Sam laughed from the doorway.

"S-Sam" Dean stuttered, stunned by his brothers sudden appearance.

"Calm down would you? I've known about you two for years" He grinned, shaking his head and placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Cas asked, a little confused and groggy.

"Bobby and I figured you'd tell us when you were good and ready" Sam smiled.

"Bobby" Deans eyes went wide like he couldn't quite grasp the name.

"What? Did you really think Bobby of all people wouldn't have figured it out?" Sammy replied, laughing at the stunned expression on his brother's face.

"It's okay Dean, you know we all love you anyways" He smiled and slapped his back reassuringly.

"Thanks Sammy..That means a lot" Dean replied, finally finding his voice again.

Castiel was released from the hospital a few days later, the three of them loaded up the Impala one more time and drove Sam back to Harvard to continue studying law and went to visit Bobby, to tell him officially.

"Hey Bobby" Dean grinned, hugging the gruff old man he grew up with.

"Hey kid, Cas. What brings you out to my neck of the woods?" He asked, his voice rough but as always, warm and friendly.

"Well we have some news.." Dean started, trying to find just the right words.

"Castiel and I are.. Together" He grinned, blushing deeply.

"Well it's about time you idjits!" He laughed that deep husky laugh of his and pulled them both into a bear hug.

Relieved that the two people that meant the most to them in this world supported them completely, they went on to buy a beautiful little house together.

Their years together from there, were absolutely suburban. Dean got a job at a hunting store, putting the skills he'd gained over years of demon hunting to good use. Cas decided to work at the local petstore, he'd always loved playing with puppies although he had never told anyone that.

The years weren't overly kind to them, Dean's hair thinned and turned silver, his bright green eyes dimming slightly with age. Cas began to wrinkle, the crows feet around his tired blue eyes getting deeper every year but the love they shared never faded.

They died together, Dean 85, Cas far older but his mortal body 89.

They left this world listening to Carry on my wayward son in "Babies" front seat, their fingers weaved together between them, their hearts filled with more love and happiness than they ever thought possible.


End file.
